Tomyris with the Head of King Cyrus

Art Historical Context

In the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, this etching from 1586 the fierce Queen Tomyris triumphantly holding the severed head King Cyrus the Great. Depicting a legendary episode from Herodotus's *Histories*, it portrays the Massagetae queen avenging her son's death by the Persian ruler, dipping his head in a vessel of blood with the grim words, "I have quenched your thirst for blood." Attributed to a collaboration among German engraver Georg Pz (whose design likely originated earlier), Flemish artist Crispijn van den Broeck, and master printmaker Hieronymus Wierix, the work exemplifies the Northern Renaissance fascination with classical tales of power and retribution. Measuring just 4 5/8 × 3 1/4 inches, this delicate etching highlights the medium's revolutionary qualities in the late 16th century. Unlike the precise lines of engraving, etching's acid-etched technique allowed for softer, more fluid strokes, enabling expressive details in Tomyris's determined face and flowing drapery. Produced during a printmaking boom, such small-scale works were affordable and widely circulated, bringing dramatic historical narratives to diverse audiences and elevating women as symbols of unyielding strength. A gift to the Met in 1949, this print invites reflection on timeless themes of justice and female agency, resonating across centuries.

About the Artist

Georg Pencz|Crispijn van den Broeck|Hieronymus (Jerome) Wierix · 1490–1550

Comment on works: Religious; History; Portraits